Music writer Pet Levy sits down with the group French Horn Rebellion and talks about everything from where they go their name to what it was like growing up in Whitefish Bay. | March 15, 2013»Read Full Blog Post

Except they didn't actually share the stage simultaneously. Even though Damon, 53, told the Journal Sentinel there'd be a brief bit with the four brothers, and a group photo op was promised at the start of Wednesday's show, only one Wayans was witnessed at a time. | July 24, 2014»Read Full Article

Music's biggest power couple — Jay Z and Beyoncé — are touring together for the first time this summer for the highest-profile stadium tour of the season. So how does their "On the Run" tour shape up? Here's what critics had to say.

The girls: 2nd or 3rd grade is a good time to start. Keep the group to a manageable size—maybe four to six girls. Girls don’t have to be best friends, but it’s a good idea if they read at the same level.

The moms: Get together to discuss goals, schedules, dates, times, any rules, i.e. no interrupting, everyone should read the book.

Hosting: Take turns! The hostess a) picks the place to meet: her home or a park, b) chooses the book, c) leads the discussion and prepares the questions. Moms should make out a schedule before the first meeting.

Dessert: All that book talk can work up an appetite. Take turns bringing a snack or make it part of the hostess’ duties.

Keep it short: Give everyone the opportunity to answer the questions, and then let the girls loose to socialize. Set a definite time frame. A couple of hours should be enough time to discuss a book and then play.

Get creative: Plan a craft or game related to the book.

Stay connected: Socialize outside the monthly meeting. Go to a bookstore, an author’s visit, a movie or any place to have fun together.

Once upon a time, after Charlotte wove her web and Laura moved to her little house on the prairie, a bond between girls and books was formed. It began, as many things begin, with a gentle nudge from mothers.

"As avid book lovers ourselves, it seemed only natural to form a book club for our daughters—illuminating the path and all," says Julie Terwelp of Wauwatosa. "When the girls were in 2nd and 3rd grade they were able to read more substantive chapter books and with the promise of a delicious dessert served after the book discussion, the girls were committed." | July 23, 2014»Read Full Article

Some members of the Milwaukee fine arts community are accusing the hosts of the WKLH-FM (96.5) morning show of demeaning arts groups and performances here.

The comments on the station's website came during a 10-minute segment on Tuesday in which Dave Luczak, Carole Caine and Kevin Brandt discuss the most boring places in Wisconsin. | July 23, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(34)

My work brother Dudek has a fine recap of this week's arts kerfuffle, in which WKLH's Dave Luczak, Carole Caine and Kevin Brandt made some snarky, dismissive comments about the value, entertainment and otherwise, of the arts in Milwaukee and elsewhere. You can listen to the morning trio's chatter online, with the juicy stuff beginning about 6 minutes in. You can read a fiery string of comments there, too.

The WKLH thing was brought to my attention by artsy people, in my role as Journal Sentinel arts editor, possibly in the hope that I would go medieval on Dave and Carole. Instead, I'm going to play the role of Ron Roenicke today, calmly talking about an at-bat that didn't go so well. | July 23, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(16)

Bloomington, Ill. — I received an early Christmas present in December, when Illinois Shakespeare Festival director Kevin Rich wrote me a long email describing Illinois Shakes' upcoming, three-play summer season, which would feature Milwaukee actors Matt Daniels, Todd Denning, Norman Moses and Deborah Staples — with two of the three productions being directed by the talented, Milwaukee-based tandem of Paula Suozzi and Jonathan West.

That was reason enough to make plans for a return trip to this company's central Illinois stomping grounds, which I'd first visited last summer. But it gets better. | July 23, 2014»Read Full Article

Four American novelists have made this year's 13-book longlist for the Man Booker Prize, probably the most talked about literary prize short of the Nobel.

It's the first year American writers are eligible for the prize, which was previously awarded to writers from the British Commonwealth. The prize is now open to "to writers of any nationality, writing originally in English and published in the UK." That change in eligibility has some British observers worried that writing from the UK will be swamped by Yanks. | July 23, 2014»Read Full Blog Post